Suzy Bogguss take on SPACE

With more than 20 years in the music business behind her, Suzy Bogguss is looking forward to performing songs both new and old in Evanston.

Growing up in Aledo, Ill., approximately 40 miles south of the Quad Cities, her performance in Evanston will allow Bogguss to come home for a reunion of sorts. She said plenty of friends and family are in the Chicago-area and will come out for the show.

The show will include some of Bogguss’ classic country songs that made her famous, like “Just Like the Weather” and “Take It To the Limit,” as well as songs off her latest album “Sweet Danger.”

“It’s a nice place to sort of keep it all about the songs,” she said.

Over the years, Bogguss has expanded from country to folk, jazz and even swing music, though she’ll likely always be known as a country artist.

“You want to stretch yourself and evolve and stuff like that and I think that people, because they knew me as a country artist, they still see me that way,” Bogguss said. “No matter what I’m singing, I still bring that down-homeness to it.”

Bogguss’ latest album went to number four on the jazz chart, allowing her some crossover success, and putting her on the radio in more categories. Bogguss added that country music has evolved since she entered the game. In 1985, there was a big trend toward traditional country. As she joined the ranks, country began turning a bit more acoustic. These days, the likes of Lady Antebellum and Taylor Swift can be heard across country, adult contemporary and popular music stations, while Bogguss herself has now landed on the adult contemporary stations.

“Sweet Danger” offers a mix of songs written by Bogguss and co-produced by Jason Miles. Even Bogguss can’t classify the album.

“That’s why it’s called ‘Sweet Danger,’ because I was taking risks,” Bogguss said.

Technology has also evolved over the years and Bogguss finds social networking outlets a blessing.

“I came from the age when I used to have to write 200 postcards because I was going back into an area,” Bogguss said. “. . . Now, I take these little tear sheets with me and people take them home and go to my Web site and whenever I’m within 100 miles, about three weeks ahead, they get a message, ‘Hey, I’m coming out. Bring all your friends.’”

Bogguss hopes to see some familiar faces at the show. She said because Space is such an intimate venue, she’ll be close enough to the audience to banter back and forth. She won’t even plan a set list and will take requests from the audience.

“I always leave there feeling like I have been really sharing the evening with people because it’s kind of like they’re in the show as well,” Bogguss said.

Tickets to see Bogguss at Space are $20 in advance, $25 at the door and $32.50 for reserved table seating. Tickets are available on evanstonspace.com and ticketmaster.com.CONCERT INFORMATION: